Declare Blood Clot Awareness Month

Assembly Resolution No. 209 BY: M. of A. Skoufis MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim March 2017 as Blood Clot Awareness Month in the State of New York WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to help increase awareness of serious health conditions that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim March 2017 as Blood Clot Awareness Month in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of National Blood Clot Awareness Month; and WHEREAS, Blood clots are a major health threat in New York State and around the country; and WHEREAS, The United States Congress has designated March as Blood Clot Awareness Month; and WHEREAS, According to the National Blood Clot Alliance, every minute someone is diagnosed with a blood clot; and every six minutes a blood clot kills someone; and WHEREAS, Blood clots do not discriminate by age, gender, ethnicity or race; they affect everyone, infants, young children, teenagers, people in middle age and senior citizens; across New York State, they affect people from all walks of life; and WHEREAS, Blood clots are the number one killer of new mothers in childbirth; and WHEREAS, Blood clots affect people being treated for cancer and other chronic diseases, and people undergoing joint replacement surgery and other surgical procedures; and WHEREAS, Blood clots can be triggered by a genetic predisposition or by lengthy immobility; they can affect the more than five million Americans with heartbeat problems, which places them at heightened risk of a clot in the heart that can travel to the brain and cause stroke and death; and WHEREAS, Blood clots are the leading cause of unnecessary hospital readmissions at an estimated cost of more than $10 billion of the $16 billion expended in the treatment of blood clots at hospitals nationwide; and WHEREAS, Many of the risks for life-threatening blood clots increase as people age and so too will the public health challenge; and WHEREAS, Fortunately, many blood clots can be prevented but when they do occur, poor outcomes including death, disease and recurrence, can be preventable with early and accurate diagnosis and management; and WHEREAS, It is imperative that there be greater awareness of this serious health condition, and more must be done to increase activity at the local, State and National levels; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim March 2017 as Blood Clot Awareness Month in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York.